Judge recommends Colorado low-security prison for Blagojevich

Rod Blagojevich and his wife Patti after the former governor was sentenced last week. (Nancy Stone/ Chicago Tribune)

A federal judge today agreed to recommend that Rod Blagojevich serve his 14-year prison sentence at a low-security federal prison in Littleton, Colo.

U.S. District Judge James Zagel also agreed to extend Blagojevich’s surrender date to March 15 unless the former governor is able to sell his Ravenswood Manor residence before then. Last week, the judge had ordered Blagojevich to report to prison on Feb. 16.

Although Blagojevich would rather have been sent to a minimum-security prison camp, the U.S. Bureau of Prisons will not usually consider that option for defendants sentenced to 10 or more years in prison, said Blagojevich's attorney, Sheldon Sorosky.

"It's kind of like applying to school," Sorosky said of deciding to request a low-security facility instead of a camp. "If the kid who's got all C's asks to go to Harvard, he's probably not going to get in."

Prison camps are the lowest security in the federal prison system and generally feature unsecured perimeters and dormitory-style living. The nearest prison camp to Chicago is in Oxford, Wis.

Low-security facilities, meanwhile, have secured perimeters, but instead of prison cells, they usually have dormitory living facilities, according to the Bureau of Prisons. The low-security facility in Littleton – officially known as the Federal Correctional Institution Englewood -- is located 15 miles southwest of Denver, according to the Bureau of Prisons web site.

In sentencing Blagojevich last week, Zagel agreed to recommend that Blagojevich serve his time at a low-security prison and asked his attorneys to suggest a location.

The U.S. Bureau of Prisons will make any final decision on where Blagojevich will be incarcerated.